Applications are now open for the 2012-2013 Acumen Fund Global Fellows Program from eligible candidates all over the world who have already decided on a career in venture philanthropy, who are seeking a career at the highest levels in the corporate world but want to better understand and impact problems of global poverty, and budding social entrepreneurs who want to learn about managing organizations in demanding settings.
Established in 2006, the Acumen Fund Fellows Program aims at building a corps of leaders for the sector at the merger between business and society. They train fellows to fuse operational and financial skills with moral imagination to create solutions to global poverty and fill the talent gap. Each year, Acumen Fund recruits highly talented and passionate young professionals to reflect on their role as leaders, build their leadership capacity, and provide much-needed management support to their investees.
Eligibility
- There is no specific age or degree required for the program. Acumen Fund Fellows are drawn from a pool of talented, passionate individuals from all geographies, sectors, backgrounds, religions and ages, having:
- Proven track record of leadership and management responsibilities
- Experience working in emerging markets
- Unrelenting perseverance, personal integrity, and critical thinking skills
- Strong passion and commitment
- 3-7 years of work experience
- Graduate degree preferred
Program Structure
Acumen Fund’s year-long fellowship for the Class of 2013 will begin in September 2012 with eight weeks of intensive and multidisciplinary leadership training in our New York City office. Training topics cover a wide variety of soft and hard skills, ranging from self-reflection, negotiation, and storytelling to functional topics such as investment techniques, valuation, marketing and operations. The Fellows also meet with leaders from diverse fields, as well as leading writers and thinkers. Training will explore issues related to our investment geographies and sectors as well.
Following training in New York, Fellows begin their nine-month field placements with Acumen Fund investees. Each Fellow is assigned to a company where they support senior management in tackling critical business issues – market expansion, business plan refinement, supply chain improvements, or even leading a new business initiative. Over nine months, Fellows learn and apply skills while enjoying an unusual level of responsibility within Acumen Fund investees. Halfway through the year, Fellows convene for a mid-year meeting to reconnect, share learnings, and support each other in navigating challenges in the field. At the end of these field assignments, the Fellows return to New York for three weeks in September 2013 to share experiences and lessons learned with Acumen Fund’s community, and to focus on their next steps.
Stipend and Provisions
Acumen Fund provides Fellows with a stipend that covers reasonable monthly living costs for the duration of the year-long program. The stipend is designed to cover only costs associated and incurred during the program. You should not expect to save any money during this year or to use this stipend to cover previous expenses (e.g., student loans). During the program in New York, Fellows will be provided with additional resources to secure housing. Stipend amounts will vary for the country placement portion of the Fellowship, adjusting for the cost of living in different countries, but these stipends are also designed to cover the basic costs associated with safe yet frugal living.
Travel to New York for the first portion of the program, travel to and from field placements, travel to and from the mid-year meeting, and costs associated with necessary visa arrangements will be covered by Acumen Fund.
Acumen Fund will also arrange appropriate health insurance and computing services including a laptop and video camera for use during the fellowship year.
Last date for submission of applications is November 14, 2011. For more information, visit this link.
